Many passenger seats are equipped with a tray table for use by a passenger. Typically, the tray table is stowed either on the aft side of the passenger seat back (in front of the passenger in the next row) or inside an arm (also known as an in-arm tray table). When a passenger wishes to use the in-arm tray table, the passenger raises an arm rest cover to access the tray table, rotates the tray table from a stowed position until the tray table reaches a raised position, then rotates the tray table to a deployed position in front of the passenger.
It is desirable to have a surface of the tray table approximately level for the passenger's use. In order to achieve an approximately level surface during flight, the surface is typically aligned so that the surface tilts slightly downward in a forward direction to compensate for the nose-up attitude of the aircraft during flight. The amount of downward tilt can vary due to variations in manufactured parts and general wear and tear over time through repeated use. For example, the deployed tray table is supported by a relatively small support structure located adjacent the passenger seat arm. The repeated use of the tray table over time can result in excessive wear to the support structure and the tray table in the location where the two components contact one another during use.
Thus, it is desirable to provide a tray table design that provides for adjustment of the amount of tray table surface tilt, as well as providing a more durable and/or easily replaceable support structure at the location where the tray table contacts the support structure.